CARDINAL COUPLE

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Friday, January 6, 2017

WBB Cards survive wild one in OT 86-81 over Cavs -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE



MYISHA HINES-ALLEN RECORDS CAREER HIGHS WITH 31 POINTS AND 17 REBOUNDS IN UOFL WIN.


Louisville women's basketball overcame a 15-point 3rd quarter deficit and takes the win in overtime in a wild game at Charlottesville Thursday night to down Virginia 86-81. Myisha Hines-Allen had career highs with 31 points and 17 grabs, Mariya Moore added 23 points and Asia Durr with 16 in the win that saw both Myisha and Mariya on the bench for the final 1:24 of the extra session. 

It was a game of runs, luck, miscues and...in the end...free throw shooting that got the Cards to 14-3 on the season. While waiting for my sedative to kick in, let's see how they got it done. 

The first half was, in my humble opinion, the worst half of the season for Jeff Walz's squad. Despite jumping out to an early 5-0 lead in the first two minutes, the Cards couldn't find the basket after that and seven first quarter turnovers helped the Wahoos take control with a 12-2 run over six minutes and lead after the first ten 17-11. The Cards shot 27.8% in the initial session and Hines-Allen spent five minutes on the bench but had four points to lead the Cards in scoring. 12 turnovers. BJ still feeling the effects of her illness, it seemed and Asia Durr was off as well with just one three. Turns out, she wasn't feeling that great either in the game. Daggone illnesses...

It proceeded to get worse in the next ten. The Cards started with some effort...cutting the Cavs lead to two at 19-17 after three straight Hines-Allen scores to start the quarter. Hines-Allen still had Louisville hanging around when her jumper in the paint made it 25-24 Virginia with 4:14 until half but a 13-1 closing run put UVA in charge 38-25 and one had to wonder what was going on with the Cardinal squad and their lack of effort. 



We figured Coach Walz probably cracked the locker room walls with a half-time tirade (in fact... he didn't know what to say about the lackadaisical effort) and just
questioned his squad's commitment. Beside Hines-Allen and her 13 points...the Louisville boat was dead in the water and no one else seemed willing to pick up an oar and row.

It got even more dire to start the third, if that's possible. Hines-Allen and Moore tried to rally the Cards at the beginning and cut the UVA edge to 40-31. An 8-2 Cavalier run over the next four minutes, though, had the home team up 48-33 after a Aliyah Huland El three and some good things definitely needed to happen for the hapless Cards.

One of those good things was Taylor Johnson. Some key passing and tough defense started to raise the Cards out of their winter hibernation. A Cortnee Walton bucket, three T.J. free throws, a Durr three, two Moore charity tosses and Walton inside again and it was a 12-0 run and it was suddenly a 48-45 game. Hines-Allen got her 20th. point on a "and one" to make it 50-48 and the quarter ended at 52-48. We had a game again and the Cards had secured the momentum. 

Louisville would regain the lead for the first time since the first quarter when Moore knocked back a trifecta with 8:02 to play to make it 55-54. It was tooth and nail, back and forth for the next five minutes...then Taylor Johnson drew a key charging foul off of the Cavs and Moore sank her second three of the quarter to give the Cards the edge at 65-60 with 2:37 remaining. She popped another long-range, three-point net-swisher for her 20th point 39 seconds later and at 68-62 with 1:58 left...this one was looking awfully good for the visitors. 



Virginia wasn't buying that. A Breyana Mason three cut the edge to 68-66. The Cards went cold from the charity stripe over the next 45 seconds when Moore missed three free ones and Taylor Johnson missed two...but Durr's two for two at the line had the Cards up 71-68 with less than five seconds to go. 

The ball went to Virginia's freshman guard Dominique Toussaint, though...and she came through huge with a deep three at the buzzer to make it 71-71 and send the contest to overtime. Stunner....setting off a wild home crowd and home team celebration. Bonus ball and a possible momentum switch in the affair. 

I questioned why the Cards didn't foul on that in-bounds possession. Later, in his post-game radio interview show...Coach Walz admitted they probably should have done just that but he feared a make then a miss and Virginia rebound from their 6'9" center Felicia Aiyeotan for a put-back to tie it and possibly win it if she was fouled on the put-back score and hit a free throw. 

Conjecture...yeah...and I'm no probability expert...but in any event...bonus ball was on the way and the Cards had the M&M girls with four fouls each. White-knuckle time. 

Virginia never led in the extra session but they did make it interesting. The teams exchanged baskets for the first 2:30 and then a Moore foul sent her to the bench. Two free throws from Hines-Allen made it 77-74 Cards with 2:15 left but she was called for her fifth infraction 30 seconds later. Who would the Cards turn to now...with 54 of their points now on the bench? 

Turns out, it was a group effort. Jazmine Jones nailed one of two charity tosses to give the Cards a 78-74 lead with 1:24 in the overtime. After VA hit two free throws, Durr got the same chance and reciprocated on her attempts with 30 seconds left. Huland El made good on two free tosses with 20 seconds left to set the ledger at 80-78. The Hoos fouled Taylor Johnson immediately (and maybe mistakenly) and she nailed both chances to give UofL the 82-78 edge. A foul sent Jazmine Jones back to the stripe with six ticks left and she came through on both to create what seemed to be an insurmountable 84-78 advantage. J'Kyra Brown thought differently for UVA, though and her three cut the tally to 84-81. Virginia should change their nickname to the Cats...because it seemed they had nine lives last night. 

A Mason foul on Durr gave her two attempts with 1.1 seconds on the clock and both went through the net to give UofL the 86-81 win. Fortunately, a five-point play didn't happen. 

Myisha did her best Godzilla impersonation tonight in the John Paul Jones Arena tonight. The people of Charlottesville are not safe until she boards the charter flight home. Mariya stepped up big-time when she was absolutely needed. Asia Durr overcame a dreadful start and held the squad together in overtime and Taylor Johnson provided a needed spark off the bench to give the Cards a hard fought, if not shaky, ACC road win. 

Let me catch my breath here...let's go to Fred. 


HOW DID FRED DO? 


Farmer Fred from THE WATERBOY movie
Free Throws --  The Cards went 24-32 in a game that featured 40 total fouls. Billy Smith earned a voucher for a replacement whistle after that one. Costly misses prevented the Cards from taking this one in regulation but expert marksmanship at the end secured the victory in overtime...the Cards sinking their final six attempts and 11-12 in the overtime session. Louisville made just two baskets in the bonus ball period and none in the final 2:12. You know the routine...if it's over 70%, we award the capital "F". 

Rebounds -- Give the Cards a 51-42 advantage Thursday night. Hines-Allen was dominating. They took both the offensive and defensive categories. We will award the capital "R" because of that. 

Effort/Execution -- This one is a tale of two halves. Louisville performed like a three-legged horse in the Kentucky Derby in the first twenty. They finally showed signs of life in the third quarter and won the overtime 15-10 but it wasn't a thing of beauty. Because it was a win and because of Hines-Allen, I'll distribute a small-case "e" here. Maybe an "e" minus-minus.

Defense -- Virginia shot 42.3% (50% from three-point range) and Huland-El torched the Cards time and time again. The Cards did get 12 steals but forced only 14 turnovers. The 12-0 stretch in the third quarter was spurred by the defense, though, and UofL held UVA to 2 for 8 shooting in overtime. Grudgingly, I'll award a small case "d"...since defense did get Louisville back in the game and they won.

FINAL FRED COUNT:  F-R-e-d


THINGS WE LIKED

Marvelous Myisha Hines-Allen. She put on her best performance of the season, maybe of her career on a night when it was desperately needed. Losing her at the end of this one -- on a whistle-happy night -- was critical but the squad finished the work she started. Any questions on why she was the pre-season ACC Player of the Year top vote-getter? 

Taylor-made. Taylor Johnson resembled a point-guard in many ways tonight and did it off the bench to give UofL a much needed lift. She caught the eye of the UVA based TV crew and deserved the kudos on a night where BJ wasn't at her best. 

Finishing. Too often we've lamented here about Louisville losing the fourth quarter. Louisville actually won it,  the second half and overtime session tonight. It was a topsy-turvy, roller-coaster ride but the objective is to out-score the opponent and Louisville did that after a horrendous start. 


THINGS TO WORK ON



Consistency. This team needs to put 40 (or 45 minutes) together from here on out if they want to achieve ACC success. Let's face it, Virginia might well probably be dubious in getting an NCAA Tournament bid but they looked like UConn against the Cards for 26 minutes tonight. Time to commit, buy in, do the work and invest in yourself Cards. 

Bench. Not a stellar effort out of those who aren't starters tonight...except for Taylor Johnson and a few Jazmine Jones flashes. Walz tried to play 12 players tonight but zero points and three rebound in 13 minutes for five of them forced him to stay with seven players the majority of the way tonight. 


SO...

What did we learn tonight? We learned that Louisville can come from behind on the road. We learned that lackadaisical and uninspired play to start a game can be a real tough situation to overcome. It was confirmed that Myisha Hines-Allen is the best player in the ACC and that smart play can eliminate turnovers.

Speaking of turnovers, I was brought up in Coach Walz's post-game radio presser. Not because of any I committed (although I made a judgement call and did leave the lap-top view for a brief while to listen on the radio out on the porch and yell..) but in his reference to the Cards opening a bakery and distributing turnovers right and left. He attributed the phrase to his grandfather but dedicated it to me. I like those lemon-custard turnovers...but would opt-out for a nice cheese danish if there is an option. Maybe someone will bring me one on media row Sunday...

I will study this and decide...1) If I want to get into the bakery business with Coach Walz. 2) What to name it if I do -- although he probably has a name picked out -- and 3) Who our staff and servers will be. They don't want me on the counter, by the register or near the oven...so I expect I'll be on trash runs, dishes and clean-up...much like what I do here daily on the website. 

The Cards go 1-1 against "the Joanne's" on their road trip and Pitt comes in Sunday. Hopefully the Cards and Walz will close the bakery and open a pest-elimination service. 

I can't cook and I can't dance...
Paulie
xxxxx 







  




47 comments:

  1. Oh, Paulie. I'm afraid I'll have to dock your points in today's FRED report since the special teams coach in Waterboy is actually named Farmer FRAN. I guess it could be the FRAN report today. Free throws, Rebounding, Assists (?), Net rating (?). It doesn't work quite as well.

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    1. Dang it! I should have gone with Fred Savage from The Wonder Years. (We called him "Fred" back at William Frawley Memorial high school...to avoid confusion with Fran Tarkenton...Google it...)

      Paulie

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    2. I'm hurt that you'd imply that I don't know who Fran Tarkenton is.

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    3. Not so much you, Queso...but for other readers who may not have your fine lineage, knowledge and astuteness in NFL Football. Don't be hurt. Get better and play like a scrambling, madcap, can't-sack-me Viking fan I know you truly are down in your heart!

      Paulie

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  2. Go Taylor,she was the defensive spark the card needed late in the game.Good effort on her behalf.

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  3. Nice Piece. Gotta be honest...I started checking my email and news during the second quarter. Embarrassing and if these kids don't get that it is then it's on them and Walz.

    Full credit that they came out of their stupor and decided to play ball before they got skunked on this road trip. MHA rocked when she had to, Moore finally acted like the Wade Watch List baller that she's supposed to be and we showed some guts at the end...against an unrated conference club.

    We're not even close but fortunately there's time before the tourney. I don't want to hear about the flu, other clubs deal with it too.

    Gotta go tune some Folgelberg to relax...no excuse for this program at this point. We need to go out and over deliver, instead of just escaping with wins against unranked clubs. That won't fly.

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    1. Coach intimated in his post-game radio show that he needed to address the investment of the players to their dedication to themselves and the game.. I expect that'll start immediately. I know a good investment adviser...if needed.

      Paulie

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    2. Gotta Agree with Jenny & Curtis...I'm a hard core ULWBB fan although way out West.

      I just wish I felt like these kids were as serious about winning and being great as they are about choreographing their pre game intros. If so UConn would need to start worrying. Just Sayin

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  4. Burn, I couldn't agree more. It is absolutely embarrassing the way this team is playing. Yes, they pulled it together in the end and gutted out a win.
    But, they should not have to gut out a win. They have the talent, the coaching. The pieces are there. Something is missing. I don't know what it is. But it is embarrassing the way this team shows up (or doesn't show up).

    I love this team, love this program. I will always be a fan. But sheesh, they are making it harder than it has to be.

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    1. It took a ACC performance of the week from Myzilla (my new name for Myisha) to get this...but these same Hoos were up 17 on Syracuse..up there...in the second half...so maybe they aren't too awful. The lack of commitment/effort early definitely caught the attention of the coaching staff and I expect that the next practice won't be a hand-holding, sit around the campfire singing Kumbaya and making S'mores afternoon.

      Paulie

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    2. I agree with that comment way to hard.

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  5. Walz has no "killers" on this squad. No one that will get up in someone's face and call them out for sloppy play. I'm glad they all get along so well, but this isn't a sorority or campus coffee klatch. It is a team competing in the toughest conference in women's basketball. Cortnee is too nice to take that role, Taylor hasn't been there long enough, Briahanna doesn't seem to have any interest in leadership and I don't think Mariya or Myisha do either, although I think Myisha DOES have that potential and needs to step up and assume it. You must have a floor general (who said that on here?). So far, it's just a talented bunch of officer school graduates who like medals but don't want to get down in the trenches and fight to earn them. That will cost them as the season progresses. This is the ACC, not the AAC, Big East or America East. Talent only gets you so far. Sometimes you need guts and that 'wild-eyed, don't mess with me I might just be crazy' look in your eyes to be the best and take control..

    Curtis "never officer candidate school material" Franklin.

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    1. Well played. Sounds like you've served. If so you know we all dealt with OCS grads with no clue and no game. Fortunately the cost of incompetence is less in this environment. Good analogy.

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    2. Yeah I did my tour and out. It was about the only option a poor kid with poor grades had. That or street ganging. Developed a healthy disrespect for the snot-nosed OCS graduates but kept it in check. But, I'd do it again and I am proud of my country. I chose to protect and defend it. Even Wildcat fans.

      Curtis "Sir, yes sir!" Franklin

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    3. There you go...no Officers or Lifers welcome

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    4. I think Arica Carter is that leader, but you can only do so much in street clothes. I agree with your assessment. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes, but where is the player that is willing to be the agitator? The player that can call the team out and the team responds? Walz can only do so much in terms of prodding them to get it together. They need a player to be the extension of the coach's voice and instructions

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  6. Wondering why Walz isn't utilizing the bench players more.

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    1. Because they are ineffective lately when they go in is my theory. I think you need to get to a 8 maybe 9 regular player rotation this time of the year and I'm comfortable with the M&M girls, BJ, TJ, Cortnee, Asia, JJ, Sam and Kylee But they have to perform instead of coming in and committing turnovers and blowing defensive assignments right off the bat.

      Just my opinion. Paulie, I heard the Walz reference to you last night. I thought you had pledged to eat healthy this year? You have to stay away from Walz's bakery. HA-ha.!

      -- The Real Joe Hill --

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    2. I patially disagree Joe. Sydney needs to be out there too to bust open zones. I know Coach Walz is a big believer in granting paying time because of practice performance but he does need to give those who earned the playing time a little more actual game court time to show what they can do. About last night, it was a win and that's about most will remember about it in March. Tougher opponents ahead and bigger challenges await. The Deb Factor

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    3. Only way to develop the bench is to let them play through mistakes, same way you let starters play on.

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    4. I say this only because I I'd like to see more Jazmine, Kylee, Sam, and Sydney, but I still trust wholeheartedly in what CJW does.

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    5. Agreed, K. Walz knows what is best for the squad. not saying he doesn't make mistakes, because he does and he'll admit them, but he has 10 years invested in this program and is one of the brightest minds in women's college hoops. As he says, he's here to win games. If he doesn't, then he may not be here.

      Paulie

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    6. I agree with KstarkSr play the bench two mcdonlds all Americans post players that need time.

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  7. yall need to calm down and just let it take its course this team is 14-3 and did yall really think the acc would be an easy ride? u playin the best now and there aint no easy games at this level. these girls will come around and wins on the road are always tough at this level. women will be ok. let the process work. walz knows what he got to do. he will. nice site. i can't believe i never seen it b4.

    call me the westside baller. been there and done that.

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    1. Thank God we finally had an expert show up...

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  8. Glad you mentioned Taylor Johnson. She showed up. The announcers kept calling her Taylor Brown.

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    1. Pretty sure that the guy announcer thought she was Taylor Swift. Or Opie Taylor from Mayberry. He needs to go back to calling intramural curling...

      Paulie

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    2. Ya. U know all those Taylors look alike.

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    3. It was good that Ciera Johnson didn't play much or Briana Jones at all. That announcer wouldn't have know whether to take a walk or wind his watch. Johnson's, Joneses and Moores, oh my!

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    4. I think I could hear the woman doing color wincing when play by play guy kept miscuing. I commented on twitter that I thought the woman doing color did a fine job.

      I know doing play by play is *hard*, but he surely was missing a lot.

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    5. Other than the "Brown" mishaps, I thought this duo did the best job of any of the on-air broadcast teams on the ACC network thus far. They knew the team, seemed to have done their research, and could speak to current roster as well as longer trends and tendencies of the program. WE get Sara White for home broadcast, and she announces like she's unfamiliar with the program. She's horrible.

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    6. I do like Don Russell a lot. I've known him for years and he's a solid guy. Sara's isn't all that bad. We've had worse, believe me...

      Paulie

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  9. Intramural curling? I could have been a star at the right college! Most of these ACC Network Extra callers are from the home school and have a long association with them like Don Russell and Sara White are for the WBB Cards. I do believe ours are better than most. It looks like NC State ran into someone who could figure them out with their loss to Miami. Otherwise, Syracuse handled Clemson and Duke rolled Georgia Tech. Notre Dame had no trouble with Wake and FSU took control against UNC. Pitt downed BC...I missed on that one. 6-1 for Paulie...but it was a pretty easy night for picking.

    Paulie

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    1. Oops, check that. I looked back and DID have Pitt over BC. 7-0 for the night and now 13-4 on the schedule. Sorry about the turnover.

      Paulie

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  10. Some games you just can't go to the bench. yes they need playing time but honestly I don't think they have the toughness needed in some cases. Not all freshman are like the M&M girls let's face it. It's all about winning at this level not equal playing time. Also when you do get the chance and make mistake after mistake what do you expect or think is going to happen your gonna get yanked! And MHA is absolutely by far the best player on the team scoring,defense and REBOUNDING. She's the total package!

    &

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  11. Taylor johnson johnson lol!
    Taylor needs more time on the floor she can run the point.

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  12. Am I the only one that Thinks Asia relies too much on the three point shot I have seen her at Louisville and prior to coming get to the lane at will and she has great Mid Range shooting abilities. I just think Jeff should encourage her to score in a variety of ways I think she is 5-26 from three in last two games. But I agree with the group there is def something missing from this group with 5 or 6 McDonald's all Americans we should be better.

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    1. A true point guard Dana Evans also a healthy AC.

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    2. I wish she would attack more. She's established herself as a three point threat, that should open up more opportunities for her to use the three point shot to fake and drive or pull up for the mid range shot. Not sure if she's being encouraged to do so. She's a scorer who happens to have a very good three point shot, she's not a three point shooter exclusively.

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    3. I agree, seems she is settling for the 3 and she is much more.... She has a nice handle and can get in lane for that mid range or go to the hole....

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    4. She shouldn't go full point guard because her job is to score the ball, and not worry about facilitating, but I wouldn't mind seeing her with the ball in her hands more initiating the offense. She was a beast in high school because she had the light to go get her shot. I'd like to see some offensive sets where she's given the opportunity to attack and not waiting until someone sets her up.

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  13. We just got home from a trip that included both the Duke and Virginia games. We were two rows behind the Louisville bench for both games. There were 10-12 Cardinal fans at Duke and about that number at UVA. Among those at UVA were Moore's grandfather and a couple of Zambrotta's family.

    I'm going to make another post about the experiences at Cameron and John Paul Jones in a day or two, but a few quick comments -

    Walz seemed more befuddled than upset by all the turnovers at Duke. Not that he didn't get pretty hot a few times.

    Jackson certainly appeared ill at Duke and I didn't see her usual fire and enthusiasm at UVA.

    Walz coached his butt off in the second half at UVA. He was like a traffic cop moving players around when UVA was trying to get the ball up court against our press, and he called plays pretty much every possession when Cards were in their half-court offense.

    I learned a lot from Walz's in-game comments. Most of them are printable. He does a lot of teaching with the comments that he makes to the bench players as the game continues.

    One player (I'll withhold the name) got beat on defense and Walz turned to the bench and said "just like in practice." Then he yanked her from the game.

    Best quote of the two games: As Durr was walking to the free throw line with 31 seconds left in OT at UVA, after throwing up an air ball moments before, Walz smiled as he yelled to her "do you need a breather?" She smiled right back at him and knocked down the free throws.

    More later.........

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    1. One more comment - when the Cards set up for the trick play at Duke, I said to my wife "gosh, I hope they know which basket is theirs this half." Then the play worked, the Louisville bench exploded, and the Duke crowd was like "huh...what happened?"

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    2. Hope you had a great time and we'll look forward to that report, Mike. I've been to Cameron but never John Paul Jones arena. Been to VA football and field hockey facilities but never the gym.

      Paulie

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  14. This has nothing to do with our team or this past game, but I'm watching USC vs. Washington, and boy is Minyon Moore, Mariya's little sister, really good. Only a freshman, but she's going to be good. Pesky defender. Good penetrator, and vocal already, which is difficult sometimes for young point guards. I was very impressed so I thought I'd share.

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